3M Partners With Cummins to Increase Production of Filters for Powered Air Purifying Respirators

The 3M designed filters will be made in Cummins’ Neillsville, Wisconsin, plant

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- 3M is partnering with Cummins to increase the production of high efficiency particulate filters for use in 3M’s powered air purifying respirators, or PAPRs.

The partnership has the potential to more than double the current production of filters for 3M’s PAPRs. The additional filters are needed as 3M has ramped up production of PAPRs to meet a surge in demand for personal protective equipment due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

3M’s powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs) are an important piece of personal protective equipment for front-line healthcare workers. PAPRs use a battery-powered blower that sends filtered air into a hood or head top that covers the head or face, and can provide increased levels of respiratory protection, especially for critical healthcare situations such as aerosol generating procedures. PAPRs may also be more comfortable to wear for those who need respiratory protection for long periods of time.

Guided by a 3M design, employees in Cummins’ facility in Neillsville, Wisconsin, will use existing equipment typically used for producing diesel engine filters to make the PAPR filters. After assembly and testing, the filters will be sent to 3M’s plant in Valley, Nebraska, where the company’s PAPRs are manufactured. Production of the filters at Cummins Neillsville location is expected to begin by the end of April.

“3M continues to work around the clock to get personal protective equipment, including PAPRs, to the heroic healthcare workers and first responders on the frontlines of the COVID-19 fight,” said Mike Roman, 3M chairman of the board and chief executive officer. “Our partnership with Cummins will help us produce more of this critical equipment in the coming months.”

“Cummins has been striving to find out ways to help during the COVID-19 crisis,” said Tom Linebarger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cummins. “Working with 3M, we discovered that our technologies and manufacturing expertise could be relevant as we partner in new ways to help protect healthcare professionals.”

Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, 3M has increased production of critical safety and healthcare products at its manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and around the world. Beginning in January, 3M ramped up production of N95 and other respirators and doubled its global output to 1.1 billion per year – including 35 million a month in the United States. 3M has already put into motion additional investments and actions that will enable it to double its capacity again to 2 billion globally within 12 months, with additional capacity to begin coming online in the next 60 to 90 days. In the United States, 3M expects to produce N95 respirators at a rate of 50 million per month in June, a 40 percent increase from current levels.

3M is also working with the Trump administration on a plan to import 166.5 million 3M respirators from its overseas manufacturing facilities, starting this month.

In March, 3M announced a separate partnership with Ford to increase the production of PAPRs. 3M continues to explore opportunities to further expand its capacity and get healthcare supplies to where they’re needed most as quickly as possible.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information about 3M's financial results and estimates and business prospects that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the use of words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "aim," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "will," "should," "could," "target," "forecast" and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance or business plans or prospects. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: (1) worldwide economic, political, regulatory, capital markets and other external conditions and other factors beyond the Company's control, including natural and other disasters or climate change affecting the operations of the Company or its customers and suppliers; (2) risks related to public health crises such as the global pandemic associated with the coronavirus (COVID-19); (3) liabilities related to certain fluorochemicals, including lawsuits concerning various PFAS-related products and chemistries, and claims and governmental regulatory proceedings and inquiries related to PFAS in a variety of jurisdictions; (4) legal proceedings, including significant developments that could occur in the legal and regulatory proceedings described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2019, and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q (the “Reports”); (5) competitive conditions and customer preferences; (6) foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations in those rates; (7) the timing and market acceptance of new product offerings; (8) the availability and cost of purchased components, compounds, raw materials and energy (including oil and natural gas and their derivatives) due to shortages, increased demand or supply interruptions (including those caused by natural and other disasters and other events); (9) unanticipated problems or delays with the phased implementation of a global enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, or security breaches and other disruptions to the Company's information technology infrastructure; (10) the impact of acquisitions, strategic alliances, divestitures, and other unusual events resulting from portfolio management actions and other evolving business strategies, and possible organizational restructuring; (11) operational execution, including scenarios where the Company generates fewer productivity improvements than estimated; (12) financial market risks that may affect the Company’s funding obligations under defined benefit pension and postretirement plans; and (13) the Company's credit ratings and its cost of capital. Changes in such assumptions or factors could produce significantly different results. A further description of these factors is located in the Reports under "Cautionary Note Concerning Factors That May Affect Future Results" and "Risk Factors" in Part I, Items 1 and 1A (Annual Report) and in Part I, Item 2 and Part II, Item 1A (Quarterly Reports), as updated by applicable Current Reports on Form 8-K. The information contained in this news release is as of the date indicated. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this news release as a result of new information or future events or developments.

About 3M

At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $32 billion in sales, our 96,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNews.

Tim Post
(651) 733-9789
Tpost3@mmm.com

Source: 3M

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